The Just-Reid family is celebrating the Sesquicentennial Plus One of Nels and Emma Just settling in the Blackfoot River Valley near Blackfoot. We had planned to celebrate last year, but that got put on hold along with so much else when COVID hit.
In honor of Sesquicentennial Plus One, I’m devoting the Speaking of Idaho blog to my family’s history during August.
In honor of Sesquicentennial Plus One, I’m devoting the Speaking of Idaho blog to my family’s history during August.
The reason there is a place in in Idaho called Presto (not Preston), is that there was a Presto Post Office from August 6, 1889 through February 28, 1907. When you have a post office, you need to call it something. Nels Just put “Presto” on the application. The name came from neighbor Presto Burrell who had settled in the Blackfoot River Valley a few months before the Justs did.
The first postmaster, a man who lived for a time in the Just home, was Albert F. McElroy. He held that position for less than a year when Emma Just took over as postmistress on November 13, 1890. Emma’s son, Fred Bennett, was named the postmaster on April 27, 1904 and held that position until the office was discontinued.
When we think of a post office today, we think of a building. The Presto Post Office was a desk. It resided in the home of Nels and Emma Just until the desk moved to the home of Fred Bennett in 1904. Once there was no longer a need for a post officer—the Shelley Post Office took over that roll—the desk moved back to the Just home to serve as a piece of furniture. It is still in the home today.
The first postmaster, a man who lived for a time in the Just home, was Albert F. McElroy. He held that position for less than a year when Emma Just took over as postmistress on November 13, 1890. Emma’s son, Fred Bennett, was named the postmaster on April 27, 1904 and held that position until the office was discontinued.
When we think of a post office today, we think of a building. The Presto Post Office was a desk. It resided in the home of Nels and Emma Just until the desk moved to the home of Fred Bennett in 1904. Once there was no longer a need for a post officer—the Shelley Post Office took over that roll—the desk moved back to the Just home to serve as a piece of furniture. It is still in the home today.
This is the Presto Post Office desk. Note that the top compartment is closed in this picture.
This photo shows the door of the top compartment open, revealing the cubbies for alphabetized mail beneath.
Above is the application for the Presto, Idaho post office.
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